


World of Possibility

by AppleJuiceisboss



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: F/M, First Dates, Getting to Know Each Other, Life after Alec, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Starting Over
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-25 05:18:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10757523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AppleJuiceisboss/pseuds/AppleJuiceisboss
Summary: Seventy years after Alec's passing, Magnus has his first date.





	World of Possibility

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea in my head for literally MONTHS, so I decided to give it a try. 
> 
> https://youtu.be/xORfKkyUc8Y based off of this music video tbh, this was my while inspiration. Harry has his Magnus facial hair and I was like omg 
> 
> For anyone wondering, I envision that Alec lived until eighty.

Magnus slipped his last ring onto his right hand, turning around to face Max, bringing his hand up to speak. He was quite nervous, something he hadn't felt in a long time, butterflies making their way into his chest. He had a date tonight, with a very beautiful warlock by the name of Astrid. 

“Perhaps I should cancel, I'm sure she wouldn't mind that---” Max sighed loudly, cutting him off. 

“You haven't been on a date in almost a century, Papa. You're going out with her. You asked her on this date in the first place!” The younger warlock was clearly exasperated. 

“Look, I know that dad's death was hard for you, it was hard for all of us. But you can't be alone forever. Remember what you told me about trying to hold onto things that surprise us, make the world new again? Take your own advice.” Magnus sighed, letting out a bit of a chuckle in response, walking over to the couch to retrieve his very stylish purple suede jacket. 

“When did you get so wise, blueberry?” Magnus asked his son fondly. He had the faintest trace of a smile as he shrugged the jacket on, carefully smoothing it out to lay flat. Max smiled, and walked over to hug him goodbye, making his previous efforts futile. 

“I learned from the best. Tell me how it goes.” He kissed his father's cheek, and then pulled away to walk over to the door. 

“Try to have fun.” Max told his father, grinning. 

“Aren't I the one who's supposed to be telling you this?” Magnus huffed, and Max only grinned wider, shutting the door behind him. 

Magnus sighed as soon as the front door shut, and he felt Max go through the wards, and all was still. The warlock crossed the apartment he'd bought 10 years ago, once he brought himself to leave the home that he and Alexander had lived in, raised their children in. He walked into his bedroom, sitting on the lush queen sized bed. 

Magnus gingerly picked up the picture frame that sat on the bedside table, holding it in his hands. It had been taken during a very chaotic trip to Disneyland when Max and Rafael had been teenagers. He had Alec close to him, and though it wasn't visible in the picture, Magnus remembered the feel of Alec's lower back against his palm. He could still hear Clary behind the camera, trying to coerce one of her own children, Hannah, into sharing her drink with her little brother. It had been a good weekend, save for a very unfortunate incident involving the spinning tea cups. He exhaled through his nose slowly, staring into Alec's wonderfully blue eyes, forever frozen in time. 

“You asked me to move on when you passed. To try to find happiness again. I'm going to try, Alexander. I can't make any promises. I don't know if my heart is whole enough for this, not after you.” Magnus gingerly set the frame back in it's place, and stood. 

The warlock took another glance towards the picture when he set it down, and turned to leave.  
He had to try, didn't he? 

\-----+------

In a quaint little restaurant right in the middle of Rome, Magnus heard a voice behind him.

“Hello, I'm sorry I'm a bit late, some mundane tried to hit me with her moped.” Astrid spoke, looking at him with an apologetic smile. Magnus offered his own smile back. 

“Mundanes tend to crash into people, it's quite alright.” Magnus got up, and pulled Astrid's chair out for her. 

“I ordered a bottle of pinot noir, hope you like dark wine.” He joked, feeling; for the first time that he could remember, a bit off of his game. Had Alexander affected him this much? Of course he had, it really wasn't a surprise. Astrid laughed regardless. 

“I like any kind of alcohol.” She winked in return, and Magnus found himself laughing as well. 

“My kind of person.” He winked back, and it felt natural. There had been a reason he had asked Astrid out on a date. She had been witty, charming, beautiful. She was so refreshing, and he had felt himself connected to her. It was good to know that he hadn't been wrong. 

“This is a beautiful place you suggested.” Astrid said genuinely. And it was, it had a charming, homey atmosphere, as well as the best homemade pasta within all of Rome. And it was relatively unknown, so it was never crowded with tourists. The best part, though? It was about thirty years old. Magnus certainly wasn't going to bring a date anywhere he'd been with Alec, the thought making his heart constrict in his chest. 

“Oh, isn't it? Quaint, and guaranteed the best gnocchi you've had in your life.” A bottle of wine and two wine glasses arrived at their table, and Magnus took his glass when it was poured. 

“Grazie.” Magnus expressed to the waiter with a charming smile, sipping the wine, feeling it settle. He himself felt a bit calmer, less antsy about the situation in general.

“I have to say, I was a bit surprised you asked me out, Magnus.” Astrid confessed, sipping her wine. “I mean, everyone knows about the Shadow World's best power couple, changing the way we all think of one another, even the Clave. Not that I'm not happy that you did, of course.” 

Magnus paused, admiring Astrid's boldness. “It's been close to a century, and I rather like you, my dear.” He offered as an explanation. 

“Plus, I sincerely believe that Alexander will rise from his ashes just to bully me into trying to get a date one of these days, if I don't try to do so on my own.” He chuckled. 

Astrid let out a giggle at that, beaming at him. Her lips were soft looking, and he didn't have to force himself to try and not glance at them when she laughed, he wanted to. Magnus was attracted to this lovely woman, with her large brown eyes and the freckles scattered along the bridge of her nose.

“You look rather lovely tonight, I haven't told you so.” He informed her, his smile easy on his lips. Astrid reached across the table to take his hand in her smaller, warmer one. 

“So do you.” She said sincerely, a twinkle in her eye as she spoke. 

\------+-------/

Magnus got back to his apartment on the edge of Harlem, a smile still on his lips as he waved a hand, door locking behind him. He could still feel Astrid's own pressed against them, her arms around his neck, her silky hair in between his fingers. 

This held promise, he thought to himself, finding a pair of fine silk pajamas to slip into. It was definitely a start. And he felt lighter, lighter than he had in decades. They had plans again next week, to spend the night in Ethiopia. A world's worth of possibilities were in front of Magnus, they always had been. He'd just needed time to reconcile with them, with life without Alexander.

**Author's Note:**

> Any feedback is appreciated!


End file.
